Sound is a form of energy that travels in waves and produces hearing sensations. It is produced when a body vibrates, such as when a tuning fork is struck. Sound waves need a medium like air, water or other materials to propagate. They are longitudinal waves that cause compressions and rarefactions as they travel. The pitch and frequency of a sound are directly related, with a higher frequency producing a higher pitch. Loudness depends on factors like the amplitude and area of the vibrating body as well as the distance from the source. Ultrasound has a frequency above the human audible range and is used for applications like medical imaging and cleaning.